Despite the rumors, one thing I know for sure is that Lauryn’s music has changed lives. While most people praise The Miseducation as her greatest masterpiece, I meditate on the lyrics of her Unplugged album. Unplugged helped me persevere during my senior year of high school and still encourages me today.

Here I’m sharing the lyrics from Lauryn Hill’s MTV Unplugged album that touch me the most and that I believe speak most honestly about our collective humanity.

War in the Mind

Everybody knows that they’ve lied
Everybody knows they’ve perpetrated inside
Everybody knows that they’re guilty, yes
Resting on their conscience eating their insides
Get free, be who you’re supposed to be
Freedom, said it’s freedom time now
Freedom, said it’s freedom time
Freedom, freedom time now

So Much Things to Say

I’ve not come to fight flesh and blood
But spiritual wickedness in high and low places
And though you fight me down
I’ll stand firm, and give Jehovah thanks and praises
I don’t expect to be justified, by these laws of man
Though the wicked find me guilty, Jah will prove my innocence
Cuz when the rain falls, it don’t, fall on one man’s house top
Remember that
See when this rain falls, it don’t, fall on one man’s house top
They’ve got so much things to say right now
They’ve got so much, so much things to say
But let them keep talking, oh let them keep talking
Cuz none of them walking, oh none of them walking, no
And while they’re still talking, see I’ma be walking
I’ma be walking, so let them keep talking
Said I never forget no way, how they crucified Jesus Christ
And I, I’ll never forget, how they sold Marcus Garvey for rice
Said I, never forget, how they turned their backs on Paul Bogle
So none of you, none of you forget…
Who you are, and where you stand in the struggle

I Get Out

I get out
Oh, I get out of all your boxes
I get out
Oh, you can’t hold me in these chains
I’ll get out
Oh, I want out of social bondage
Knowing my condition
Oh, is the reason I must change

I Gotta Find Peace of Mind

He says it’s impossible, but I know it’s possible
He says it’s improbable, but I know it’s tangeable
He says it’s not grabbable, but I know it’s haveable
Cuz anything’s possible, oh anything is possible

What a joy it is to be alive
To get another chance, yeah
Everyday’s another chance
To get it right this time
Everyday’s another chance
Oh what a merciful, merciful, merciful God
Oh what a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful God

Peace and Love from Sarah L. Webb

What’s in your hand?

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